Odell is a children's author best known for his book 'Scott O'Dell and His Books for Young People'. He wrote over 30 books, including the Newbery Medal-winning Island of the Blue Dolphins. He was born in Los Angeles in 1898 and died in 1989. He was a prolific writer of historical fiction, often set in California or Mexico. He was also an environmentalist and a passionate advocate for the preservation of California's wilderness areas.